Led by head coach Vince Dooley, the top ranked Bulldogs finished the regular season undefeated, but lost to number two Penn State 27–23 in the Sugar Bowl.

With the season opener against defending national champion Clemson looming, the University of Georgia received bad news when Herschel Walker suffered a fractured right thumb in practice on August 21, 1982.

The Georgia defense made up for its injured star by shutting down Clemson, limiting the Tigers to 249 total yards of offense as the Bulldogs prevailed, 13–7.

Later still, Walker converted on a huge fourth-and-1 that enabled Georgia kicker Kevin Butler to make a 44-yard field goal in the game's closing seconds.

Walker's game-winning drive of 40 yards to set up Butler's kick covered three minutes in all, and was keyed by his 23-yard breakaway run.

Walker's performance against the Gamecocks was modest by his standards (32 rushes, 143 yards, and 1 touchdown), but he ran hard while still wearing his cast.

On October 16, Georgia got past an up-and-coming Vanderbilt team (Vandy finished 8–4 in 1982) led by quarterback Whit Taylor, 27–13.

[6] Georgia finished October by knocking off Kentucky (27–14) and Memphis State (34–3) to push its record to 8–0 going into the Florida game in Jacksonville.

[7] In Georgia's matchup with Memphis St., Walker shattered the Southeastern Conference career scoring record as his third-ranked Bulldogs swept past the Tigers by 31 points.

Walker scored one last time in his UGA career as he fell into the end zone from 1 yard out with 10:37 remaining in the third quarter.

Penn State answered 21 seconds later as QB Todd Blackledge completed a 46-yard touchdown pass to wideout Gregg Garrity.

Penn State held on to win 27–23, and won the national championship by a unanimous vote in both the AP and UPI polls.